New York/New Delhi/Nairobi 6 October 2015—World Habitat Day was marked on Monday with calls for sustainable urbanisation across the globe.
In a message during a World Habitat Day High Level Discussion on ‘Public Spaces for All’ In New York, United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon said the recent adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reflected an international consensus that sustainable urbanization could play a transformational role.
Nairobi 5 October 2015—The United Nations, national and regional governments, learning institutions, non-governmental organisations as well as private individuals have lined up a series of events to mark this year’s World Habitat Day which is being commemorated today.
New York 1 October 2015—Last Friday at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Cairo, 25 June 2015—Egypt last week held its first ever National Urban Forum, which enabled meaningful, public discussion on urbanization challenges and opportunities and by allowing free access to all who registered, provided a rare opportunity for members of the public to directly engage with high level government officials.
Yangon, 24 June 2015 - UN-Habitat recently hosted a two-week mission of international experts to deliver urban planning training and undertake socioeconomic analysis of major Myanmar cities.
Jerusalem 17 June 2015 - UN-Habitat and UNDP joined forces to curate and facilitate a spatial visioning exercise between the 6th and the 14th of June 2015.
A Host Country Agreement to establish an office of UN-Habitat in Tunisia was signed on 16 May 2017 between UN-Habitat and the Government of Tunisia.
Notwithstanding, the entry into force of the Agreement is pending its ratification by the Tunisian Parliament. UN-Habitat has in 2018 supported the municipality of Djerba Midoun in transforming an open Municipal land, that used to be a spot for juvenile delinquency and a waste deposit into a safe public space with recreational and meeting facilities that will enhance community cohesion, promote social interaction and inclusion as well as the well-being of the residents of the targeted area.
UN-Habitat is also supporting the Tunisian Government with the development of a National Urban Policy, a common vision guiding the sustainable growth and management of cities and promoting productive, inclusive and resilient urban development for the long term.
With an urban population that accounts for 69% of the total population and is growing by 1.5% annually, Tunisia is one of the most urbanized countries in North Africa and the Arab region. The urban spread is located all along the coast, near large agglomerations such as Tunis and Sousse. This growth, mainly generated by the economic activities and job offers concentrated in these areas, is leaving the southern and western areas with less diverse economies behind. The disparity in standards of living and well-being is also clear between rural and urban areas and within urban zones. In terms of basic infrastructures, coverage is nearly total in coastal areas but still requires substantial investments in central and southern areas. Thus, the northern and western coasts have been the destination for rural-to-urban migration for decades, swelling the outlying areas around large cities and causing disproportionate land consumption. Since the 2011 revolution, these regional imbalances and inequalities of opportunity have intensified under the effect of the country’s economic slowdown and its devastating socioeconomic consequences.
UN-Habitat identifies and mobilizes local authorities and NGOs to ensure the ownership of the actions implemented in the country, their success, and sustainability. The recently inaugurated public space involved.
UN-Habitat engages also local communities in the design and upgrading of public space initiatives to ensure that their needs are well reflected.
UN-Habitat Projects in Tunisia
Sharing Opportunities for Low carbon Urban transportation (SOLUTIONS)
UN-Habitat is committed to continue its long-standing cooperation with the government of Burkina Faso, which started in 1972. UN-Habitat’s technical assistance included support to the elaboration of urban policy, upgrading of urban settlements and environmental approaches to constructions. We are engaged in pursuing our work in partnership with the local authorities.
In Burkina Faso, the urban population increased from 15,5% in 1996 to 31,5% in 2016. It is expected to reach 52% by 2050. Cities and towns of Burkina Faso are facing rapid sprawl, lack of planning, basic services and infrastructure, and weak governance and financial systems, among other challenges.
Urban growth in Burkina Faso remains polarized in the two major cities of the country: Ouagadougou (46,4%) and Bobo-Dioulasso (15,4%), representing nearly 62% country’s urban population[1]. These cities are growing very quickly, without the necessary support measures in terms of planning, administration, infrastructure, equipment and services. This fast-paced urban growth results in sprawling and increase of informal settlements in the peri-urban areas.
Urban Population (2018): 19.4%
Urban Growth Rate (2015-2020): 4.99%
The UEMOA (Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine), is a sub-regional African organisation covering 8 countries in West Africa i.e Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. It’s headquarter is based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. UN-Habitat and UEMOA signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) in 2010 to mainstream their partnership on urban and housing thematic on the sub-region.
UN-Habitat Projects in Burkina Faso Supporting the implementation of the Urban Burkina Faso Country Programme
Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme The Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme is being implemented with a focus on the development and adoption of inclusive policies and strategies for slum upgrading in line with the PSUP principles and contributing to the achievement of MDG 7 c and d. The Programme aims to strengthen community, city and national key stakeholders’ capacities in participatory slum upgrading , thus adding value to the development of policy, institutional, legislative, and financial frameworks, through the implementation of a participatory pilot project located in the city of Ouagadougou .
As the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expire in 2015, an international process is underway to define the Post-2015 Development Agenda. This process involves a wide range of stakeholders, and has spanned several years.
